Reagent transfer device for micro-fluidic chip

Abstract

The reagent transfer device comprises a reagent tube, an injection plug and a chip adapter, a reagent accommodating cavity and a first reagent access hole are arranged in the reagent tube, the first reagent access hole is positioned at the first end of the reagent tube and communicated with the reagent accommodating cavity, and a second reagent access hole is arranged in the reagent accommodating cavity along the section perpendicular to the flowing direction of the reagent. The sectional area of the first reagent access hole is smaller than that of the reagent accommodating cavity. The injection plug is arranged in the reagent accommodating cavity and is in sliding sealing connection with the inner wall of the reagent accommodating cavity. The chip adapter is provided with a device accommodating cavity which can abut against the first end of the reagent tube in a sealing manner, and the two ends of the end part of the device accommodating cavity can be communicated with the channel in the chip and a second reagent access hole of the first reagent access hole respectively. Due to the fact that the reagent tube is connected with the chip adapter in an inserted mode, the chip adapter is arranged at the preset position of the chip, and reagent transfer can be achieved through reciprocating motion of the injection plug. The whole operation is simple and convenient, and the reagent transfer device provided by the utility model improves the convenience of reagent transfer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of biological detection technology, and in particular to a reagent transport device for microfluidic chips. Background Technology

[0002] Microfluidic chips have a wide range of applications, including but not limited to biomedicine, chemistry, and materials science. Due to their integrated miniaturization and automation, as well as advantages such as low contamination, small sample size, low reagent consumption, and high throughput, microfluidic chips are particularly prominent in the biomedical field.

[0003] However, due to their small size, complex channels, and ability to detect multiple targets, microfluidic chips can process multiple samples simultaneously, achieving high-throughput detection. This necessitates the use of various reagents for sample introduction, which presents challenges due to issues related to preservation, sealing, and assembly, making reagent transport quite difficult.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the convenience of reagent transportation is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a reagent transport device for microfluidic chips to improve the convenience of reagent transport.

[0006] The reagent transport device for microfluidic chips provided in this application includes:

[0007] A reagent tube, wherein the reagent tube is provided with a reagent containing cavity and a first reagent inlet / outlet hole located at the first end of the reagent tube and communicating with the reagent containing cavity, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the first reagent inlet / outlet hole is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the reagent containing cavity along the cross-section of the reagent containing cavity perpendicular to the reagent flow direction.

[0008] An injection stopper is disposed in the reagent receiving cavity and is slidably and sealingly connected to the inner wall of the reagent receiving cavity;

[0009] A chip adapter is provided with a device receiving cavity that can be sealed and abutted against the first end of the reagent tube, and the two ends of the device receiving cavity can be connected to the internal channel of the chip and the second reagent inlet / outlet of the first reagent inlet / outlet hole, respectively.

[0010] Optionally, in the above-mentioned reagent transfer device for microfluidic chips, at least two device accommodating cavities are provided on the same chip adapter.

[0011] Optionally, the above-mentioned reagent transfer device for microfluidic chips further includes a first sealing ring disposed around the circumference of the device accommodating cavity, the first sealing ring being able to seal and fit against the outer circumference of the reagent tube.

[0012] Optionally, in the above-mentioned reagent transfer device for microfluidic chips, the outer wall of the reagent tube is a cylinder, the outer wall of the first end of the reagent tube is a cone whose diameter gradually decreases in the direction away from the tube body, and a limiting block is provided on the outer wall of the tube body.

[0013] The device has an inner wall that is recessed to form an upward-opening through groove for the limiting block to pass through, and a limiting groove that connects to the bottom end of the through groove and is used to engage the limiting block.

[0014] Optionally, in the above-mentioned reagent transport device for microfluidic chips, the reagent tube further includes an intermediate transition section, the outer wall of which is cylindrical, and the tube body, the intermediate transition section, and the cone are coaxially arranged.

[0015] The tube body and the cone are connected by the intermediate transition section. The outer diameter of the intermediate transition section is smaller than the outer diameter of the tube body, and the diameter of the intermediate transition section is equal to the diameter of the top of the cone. The step formed at the junction of the intermediate transition section and the tube body abuts and seals with the first sealing ring.

[0016] Optionally, in the above-described reagent transfer device for microfluidic chips, the limiting groove is an annular groove arranged radially along the cone.

[0017] Optionally, in the above-mentioned reagent transfer device for microfluidic chips, at least two limiting blocks are provided on the body of the reagent tube, and all the limiting blocks are evenly distributed around the circumference of the body of the reagent tube; the number of through slots is the same as the number of limiting blocks, and corresponds one-to-one with the limiting blocks.

[0018] Optionally, the above-mentioned reagent transport device for microfluidic chips further includes a second sealing ring sleeved on the outer wall of the injection plug, the second sealing ring slidingly sealingly abutting against the reagent receiving cavity.

[0019] Optionally, in the above-described reagent transfer device for microfluidic chips, the end of the second reagent inlet / outlet far from the reagent tube is sealed by a puncturable membrane.

[0020] Optionally, in the above-mentioned reagent transfer device for microfluidic chips, the reagent tube is a one-piece molded structure, and the chip adapter is a one-piece molded structure.

[0021] In the above technical solution, the reagent transfer device for microfluidic chips provided by this utility model includes a reagent tube, an injection plug, and a chip adapter. The reagent tube has a reagent receiving cavity and a first reagent inlet / outlet located at the first end of the reagent tube and communicating with the reagent receiving cavity. The cross-sectional area of ​​the first reagent inlet / outlet, perpendicular to the reagent flow direction along the reagent receiving cavity, is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the reagent receiving cavity. The injection plug is disposed in the reagent receiving cavity and is slidably and sealingly connected to the inner wall of the reagent receiving cavity. The chip adapter has a device receiving cavity that can seal against the first end of the reagent tube, and the two ends of the device receiving cavity can respectively communicate with the chip internal channel and the second reagent inlet / outlet of the first reagent inlet / outlet. When it is necessary to inject reagent into the chip, the second inlet / outlet of the chip adapter is aligned with the chip internal channel. The reagent tube loaded with reagent is inserted into the device receiving cavity of the chip adapter, the first inlet / outlet and the second inlet / outlet are connected, and the injection plug is pushed towards the first inlet / outlet to inject the reagent into the chip. At the same time, the injection plug is pulled out in the opposite direction to extract the reagent from the chip, thus realizing reagent transfer.

[0022] As described above, in the reagent transfer device provided in this application, during reagent transfer, the reagent tube is inserted into the chip adapter, the chip adapter is placed in the preset position on the chip, and reagent transfer is achieved by the reciprocating motion of the injection plug. The overall operation is simple and convenient; therefore, the reagent transfer device provided in this application improves the convenience of reagent transfer. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the reagent transfer device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a front view of the reagent transfer device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a top view of the reagent transfer device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the reagent tube provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the injection plug provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second sealing ring provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first sealing ring provided in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the chip adapter provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] in Figure 1-8 middle:

[0033] 1-Reagent tube, 101-Limiting block, 102-Reagent accommodating cavity, 103-First reagent inlet / outlet hole, 104-Tube body, 105-Cone, 106-Intermediate transition section;

[0034] 2-Injection plug;

[0035] 3-Second sealing ring;

[0036] 4-Chip adapter, 401-Device housing cavity, 402-Channel, 403-Limiting groove, 404-Second reagent inlet / outlet port;

[0037] 5-First sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The core of this invention is to provide a reagent transport device for microfluidic chips to improve the convenience of reagent transport.

[0039] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of this utility model, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0040] Please refer to Figures 1 to 8 .

[0041] In one specific embodiment, the reagent transfer device for microfluidic chips provided by this utility model includes a reagent tube 1, an injection plug 2, and a chip adapter 4. The reagent tube 1 is provided with a reagent accommodating cavity 102 and a first reagent inlet / outlet hole 103 located at the first end of the reagent tube 1 and communicating with the reagent accommodating cavity 102. The cross-sectional area of ​​the first reagent inlet / outlet hole 103 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the reagent accommodating cavity 102 along the cross-section perpendicular to the reagent flow direction inside the reagent accommodating cavity 102.

[0042] The injection stopper 2 is disposed in the reagent receiving cavity and is slidably and sealingly connected to the inner wall of the reagent receiving cavity. The injection stopper 2 can be made of polypropylene, and its main function is to draw in and expel the reagent in the reagent receiving cavity 102 through its reciprocating motion, thereby realizing the function of reagent transfer. The sliding seal between the injection stopper 2 and the reagent tube 1 enables the reagent to be sealed and preserved in the reagent receiving cavity 102 for a long time.

[0043] The reagent contained in reagent tube 1 can be a liquid. In this case, the reagent transfer device is used for liquid transfer.

[0044] The chip adapter 4 is provided with a device receiving cavity 401 that can seal against the first end of the reagent tube 1. The two ends of the device receiving cavity 401 can be connected to the internal channel of the chip and the second reagent inlet / outlet port 404 of the first reagent inlet / outlet port 103, respectively. The chip adapter 4 can be made of polypropylene. The chip adapter 4 cooperates with the first end of the reagent tube 1. The reagent tube 1 cooperates with the injection plug 2 to precisely control the flow rate and pressure of the reagent and ensure the overall sealing and stability of the cavity.

[0045] To facilitate knowing the amount of reagent injected, graduations can be set on the outer wall of reagent tube 1.

[0046] The reagent tube 1 can be made of polypropylene, and it is mainly used to store a certain volume of reagent. Of course, the materials of the reagent tube 1 and the chip adapter 4 are not limited to the above materials; other stable materials can be selected as needed.

[0047] When reagent needs to be injected into the chip, align the second inlet / outlet of the chip adapter 4 with the channel inside the chip. Insert the reagent tube 1, which contains the reagent, into the device receiving cavity 401 of the chip adapter 4. The first inlet / outlet and the second inlet / outlet are connected. Push the injection plug 2 towards the first inlet / outlet to inject the reagent into the chip. Simultaneously, pull the injection plug 2 in the opposite direction to remove the reagent from the chip, thus achieving reagent transfer.

[0048] As described above, in the reagent transfer device provided in the specific embodiments of this application, during reagent transfer, the reagent tube 1 is inserted into the chip adapter 4, the chip adapter 4 is placed in the preset position on the chip, and reagent transfer is achieved by the reciprocating motion of the injection plug 2. The overall operation is simple and convenient. Therefore, the reagent transfer device provided in this application improves the convenience of reagent transfer.

[0049] To enable the chip adapter 4 to accommodate multiple reagent tubes 1, in one specific embodiment, at least two device accommodating cavities 401 are provided on the same chip adapter 4. For example, the device accommodating cavities 401 can be arranged sequentially along the length of the chip adapter 4. In practical use, each device accommodating cavity 401 can be equipped with a reagent tube 1 that holds different reagents, thereby effectively solving the problem of reagent injection when the microfluidic chip processes multiple samples simultaneously.

[0050] In one specific embodiment, the reagent transfer device further includes a first sealing ring 5 disposed circumferentially in the device accommodating cavity 401, the first sealing ring 5 being able to seal against the outer periphery of the reagent tube 1. The first sealing ring 5 may be made of rubber, and the first sealing ring 5 serves to seal between the reagent tube 1 and the chip adapter 4, ensuring the accuracy and stability of reagent addition.

[0051] like Figure 4 As shown, in one specific embodiment, the outer wall of the tube body 104 of the reagent tube 1 is a cylinder, and the outer wall of the first end of the reagent tube 1 is a cone 105 whose diameter gradually decreases in the direction away from the tube body 104. Specifically, the top end of the cone 105 can be transitionally connected to the bottom end of the tube body 104.

[0052] In one specific embodiment, to improve sealing, the reagent tube 1 further includes an intermediate transition section 106. The outer wall of the intermediate transition section 106 is cylindrical, and the tube body 104, the intermediate transition section 106, and the cone 105 are coaxially arranged. Specifically, the tube body 104 and the cone 105 are connected through the intermediate transition section 106. The outer diameter of the intermediate transition section 106 is smaller than the outer diameter of the tube body 104, and the diameter of the intermediate transition section 106 is equal to the diameter of the top of the cone 105. Specifically, the diameter of the tube body 104 can be twice the diameter of the intermediate transition section 106. The step formed at the junction of the intermediate transition section 106 and the tube body 104 abuts against the first sealing ring 5 for sealing. By setting the step formed at the junction of the intermediate transition section 106 and the tube body 104, the contact area between the first sealing ring 5 and the reagent tube 1 is increased, thereby improving the sealing performance.

[0053] The outer wall of the tube body 104 is provided with a limiting block 101, wherein the limiting block 101 can be a rectangular block. To improve assembly efficiency, it is preferable that the limiting block 101 is integrally formed with the tube body 104. The inner wall of the device receiving cavity 401 is recessed to form an upward-opening through groove 402 for the limiting block 101 to pass through, and a limiting groove 403 for connecting the bottom end of the through groove 402 and for engaging the limiting block 101. At this time, the top end of the through groove 402 extends to the top end of the device receiving cavity 401. Through the cooperation of the limiting block 101 and the limiting groove 403, the reagent tube 1 and the chip adapter 4 can be quickly assembled and disassembled.

[0054] In one specific embodiment, in order to facilitate the processing of the limiting groove 403, it is preferable that the limiting groove 403 is an annular groove arranged radially along the cone 105.

[0055] like Figure 8 As shown, in order to prevent the limiting block 101 from rotating from one through slot 402 to another through slot 403 and then disengaging from the chip adapter 4, it is preferable that the limiting slot 403 corresponding to each through slot 402 is isolated and that adjacent limiting slots 403 are not connected.

[0056] To improve the connection stability between the reagent tube 1 and the chip adapter 4, in one specific embodiment, at least two limiting blocks 101 are provided on the tube body 104 of the reagent tube 1. All limiting blocks 101 are evenly distributed around the circumference of the tube body 104 of the reagent tube 1, thereby facilitating the assembly of the reagent tube 1 and the chip adapter 4. The number of through slots 402 is the same as the number of limiting blocks 101, and they correspond one-to-one with the limiting blocks 101. In this case, when one limiting block 101 corresponds to a through slot 402, the other limiting blocks 101 also correspond to the corresponding through slots 402.

[0057] In one specific embodiment, a second sealing ring 3 is further included, which is sleeved on the outer wall of the injection stopper 2. Specifically, the outer periphery of the injection stopper 2 is provided with a groove for engaging the second sealing ring 3, and the second sealing ring 3 slides and seals against the reagent receiving cavity 102. The second sealing ring 3 can be made of rubber, and its main function is to prevent reagent leakage between the reagent tube 1 and the injection stopper 2, thereby ensuring the stability and effectiveness of the reagent.

[0058] To improve the sealing effect, such as Figure 2 As shown, at least two second sealing rings 3 are provided on the injection plug 2 along the sliding direction of the injection plug 2. The two second sealing rings 3 have the same structure. Specifically, in order to improve the installation stability of the second sealing rings 3, the outer wall of the injection plug 2 is provided with a groove for engaging the second sealing rings 3.

[0059] Based on the above solutions, reagent tube 1 is a one-piece molded structure. For example, reagent tube 1 is injection molded in one piece, which improves the sealing performance of reagent tube 1 and improves the assembly efficiency of the reagent transfer device.

[0060] In one specific embodiment, the chip adapter 4 is a one-piece molded structure. For example, the chip adapter 4 is integrally injection molded, which improves the sealing performance of the chip adapter 4 and at the same time improves the assembly efficiency of the reagent transfer device.

[0061] In the reagent transfer device provided in this application, the reagent tube 1 is inserted into the chip adapter 4, and the limiting block 101 rotates and engages with the limiting groove 403, which can quickly fix the reagent tube 1 and the chip adapter 4, and prevent reagent leakage under the action of the first sealing ring 5. Two second sealing rings 3 are installed on the outside of the injection stopper 2. After the corresponding reagent is added to the reagent tube 1, the injection stopper 2 is pressed into the top of the reagent tube 1 to achieve a sealing effect. The reciprocating motion of the injection stopper 2 draws in and expels the reagent, thereby realizing the reagent transfer function.

[0062] To facilitate reagent storage, preferably, the end of the second reagent inlet / outlet 404 away from the reagent tube 1 is sealed with a puncturable membrane, that is, the reagent can be sealed inside the reagent tube 1 before use.

[0063] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0064] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A reagent transport device for microfluidic chips, characterized in that, include: The reagent tube (1) is provided with a reagent accommodating cavity (102) and a reagent first inlet / outlet hole (103) located at the first end of the reagent tube (1) and communicating with the reagent accommodating cavity (102). The cross-sectional area of ​​the reagent first inlet / outlet hole (103) is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the reagent accommodating cavity (102) along the cross-section of the reagent accommodating cavity (102) perpendicular to the reagent flow direction. Injection stopper (2), the injection stopper (2) is disposed in the reagent receiving cavity and is slidably and sealingly connected to the inner wall of the reagent receiving cavity; The chip adapter (4) is provided with a device receiving cavity (401) that can be sealed and abutted against the first end of the reagent tube (1), and the two ends of the device receiving cavity (401) can be connected to the chip channel and the reagent second inlet / outlet (404) of the reagent first inlet / outlet (103).

2. The reagent transport device for microfluidic chips according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least two device accommodating cavities (401) are provided on the same chip adapter (4).

3. The reagent transport device for microfluidic chips according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first sealing ring (5) disposed around the circumference of the device accommodating cavity (401), the first sealing ring (5) being able to seal and fit against the outer circumference of the reagent tube (1).

4. The reagent transport device for microfluidic chips according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outer wall of the tube body (104) of the reagent tube (1) is a cylinder, and the outer wall of the first end of the reagent tube (1) is a cone (105) whose diameter gradually decreases in the direction away from the tube body (104). The outer wall of the tube body (104) is provided with a limiting block (101). The inner wall of the device receiving cavity (401) is recessed to form an upward-opening through groove (402) for the limit block (101) to pass through, and a limiting groove (403) connecting the bottom end of the through groove (402) and used to engage the limit block (101).

5. The reagent transport device for microfluidic chips according to claim 4, characterized in that, The reagent tube (1) also includes an intermediate transition section (106), the outer wall of which is cylindrical, and the tube body (104), the intermediate transition section (106) and the cone (105) are coaxially arranged. The tube body (104) and the cone (105) are connected by the intermediate transition section (106). The outer diameter of the intermediate transition section (106) is smaller than the outer diameter of the tube body (104), and the diameter of the intermediate transition section (106) is equal to the diameter of the top of the cone (105). The step formed at the junction of the intermediate transition section (106) and the tube body (104) abuts and seals with the first sealing ring (5).

6. The reagent transport device for microfluidic chips according to claim 4, characterized in that, The limiting groove (403) is an annular groove arranged radially along the cone (105).

7. The reagent transport device for microfluidic chips according to claim 4, characterized in that, The reagent tube (1) has at least two limiting blocks (101) on its tube body (104), and all the limiting blocks (101) are evenly distributed around the tube body (104) of the reagent tube (1); the number of the through grooves (402) is the same as the number of the limiting blocks (101), and they correspond one-to-one with the limiting blocks (101).

8. The reagent transport device for microfluidic chips according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a second sealing ring (3) sleeved on the outer wall of the injection plug (2), the second sealing ring (3) slidingly sealingly abutting against the reagent accommodating cavity (102).

9. The reagent transport device for microfluidic chips according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end of the second reagent inlet / outlet (404) away from the reagent tube (1) is sealed by a puncturable membrane.

10. The reagent transport device for a microfluidic chip according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The reagent tube (1) is a one-piece molded structure, and the chip adapter (4) is a one-piece molded structure.

Images